Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) - P.L. 93-523 (December 16, 1974) as amended, is the key federal law for protecting public water systems from harmful contaminants. First enacted in 1974, the Act, as amended, is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency through regulatory programs that establish standards and treatment requirements for drinking water contaminants, control underground injection of wastes that might contaminate water supplies, and protect ground and surface water sources. Regulated public water systems under the Act are those that have at least 15 service connections or regularly serve 25 or more individuals. The 1996 amendments (P.L. 104-182) broadened the definition of "public water system" to include systems that deliver water through pipes or "other constructed conveyances," which includes agricultural irrigation systems
that convey water that is used for residential purposes (unless alternative water is provided for drinking and cooking; or unless water for drinking, cooking, and bathing is treated). The 1996 amendments also require states to identify, to the extent practicable, origins of contaminants in areas providing source waters for public water systems to determine the susceptibility of systems to contamination; such areas could include farmland.
Safe Meat and Poultry Inspection Panel - A permanent advisory panel that could be created under a provision of the FAIR Act of 1996. The panel would review and evaluate inspection policies and procedures and any proposed changes to them.
Safeguards, import - A trade policy tool available to temporarily increase border protection for designated commodities and products. Its purpose is to allow a producing sector to adjust to changed market conditions before facing competition again without such protection. For agricultural products subject to tariffication, the Uruguay Round’s Agreement on Agriculture (Part I, Article 5) establishes a special agricultural safeguard that allows countries to impose an additional duty when sudden import surges (volumes) exceed, or import prices fall below, a trigger level. The United States has announced quantity and price trigger levels for those products
whose imports were previously restricted using Section 22 fees and quotas and for which tariff-rate quotas are now in place: beef, mutton, 18 dairy products, peanuts, peanut butter and paste, raw cane sugar, refined sugar and syrups, eight types of sugar-containing products, mixed condiments and seasonings, animal feed containing milk, and six cotton categories. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) includes a special agricultural safeguard to provide added protection against import surges of six seasonal vegetables and fruit from Mexico until tariffs are completely phased out by year-end 2003. Covered by this safeguard are U.S. imports from Mexico of fresh tomatoes, eggplant, chili peppers, squash, onion and shallots, and watermelon during specified time periods. Comparable safeguards exist on Mexican imports from the United States of 17 categories of goods that include live swine, certain pork products, certain potato products, fresh apples, and coffee extract. NAFTA provides that no such special safeguard may be maintained on a good if it is
the subject of an emergency action. Both the Uruguay Round and NAFTA special safeguard provisions differ from broader import relief authority laid out in Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Sales for local currencies - A provision of P.L. 480 that permits a portion of commercial sales (under Title I) to be repaid in the country’s local currency.
Saline soil - A soil containing enough soluble salts to impair its productivity for
plants.
Salmonella - A pathogenic, diarrhea-producing bacterium that is the leading cause of human food borne illness among intestinal pathogens. It is commonly found in varying amounts in raw meats, poultry, milk, and eggs, but other foods can carry it. Under 1996 rules published by USDA to control pathogens in meat and poultry, all plants that slaughter food animals and that produce raw ground meat products must meet and stay below a standard national incidence rate for salmonella contamination. The standards, which take effect in January 1998, vary by product. Plants where USDA testing indicates contamination rates are above the national standard will be required to take remedial actions.
Salvage rider - Section 2001 in the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-19, July 27, 1995) to expand salvage timber sales from July 27, 1995 through December 31, 1996, by exempting them from public challenges under environmental laws; also controversial because it reinstated numerous timber sales in Washington and Oregon that had been stopped to protect endangered and threatened species habitat.
Salvage sales - Timber sales from national forests primarily to remove dead, infested, damaged, or down trees and associated trees for stand improvement; controversial partly because there are no standards for the number or proportion of trees that must be dead, infested, damaged, or down and partly because the Forest Service retains at least some of the revenues to prepare and administer future salvage sales.
Sample grade - In commodities, usually the lowest quality of a commodity, too low to be acceptable for delivery in satisfaction of futures contracts.
Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures and agreements - Measures to protect humans, animals, and plants from diseases, pests, or contaminants. The final act of the Uruguay Round of the Multilateral Trade Negotiations contains "The Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures." It applies to all sanitary (relating to animals) and phytosanitary (relating to plants) (SPS) measures that may have a direct or indirect impact on international trade. The SPS agreement includes a series of understandings (trade disciplines) on how SPS measures will be established and used by countries when they establish, revise, or apply their domestic laws and regulations. Countries agree to base their SPS standards on science, and as guidance for their actions, the agreement encourages countries to use standards set by international standard setting organizations. The SPS agreement seeks to ensure that SPS measures will not arbitrarily or unjustifiably discriminate against trade of certain other members nor be used to disguise trade restrictions. In this SPS agreement, countries maintain the sovereign right to provide the level of health protection they deem appropriate, but agree that this right will not be misused for protectionist purposes nor result in unnecessary trade barriers. A rule of equivalency rather than equality applies to the use of SPS measures.
Sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOPs) - Refers to the cleaning procedures that meat and poultry plants use, both before and during production, to prevent contamination of products. Site-specific SSOPs were required to be implemented in January 1997 by all slaughter and processing plants, under the comprehensive pathogen reduction regulations issued by USDA in July 1996.
Scaling - A method by which Forest Service personnel, or an independent third-party to measures the volume of timber actually removed as a result of a timber sale. Scaled sales are a timber sales that use scaling for billing purchasers at the stumpage price for the timber cut.
School Breakfast Program - Permanently authorized by the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. Federal funding is provided in the form of cash reimbursements for each breakfast served, varied in amount by the family income of the participating child. All children in participating schools and residential institutions are eligible for a federally subsidized meal, regardless of family income. However, free meals must be offered to children from families with incomes below 130% of the federal poverty income level, and reduced price meals to those with family incomes between 130 and 185% of the poverty level. The program is administered by the Food and Nutrition Service and funded by annual agricultural appropriations.
School meals initiative for healthy children - Initiative undertaken by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to revise and update the nutrition standards of school meals and bring them into compliance with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and to assure that school children have access to healthful nutritious meals that taste good. Includes efforts to improve the quality of commodities provided to schools and provide training and technical assistance.
Science Advisory Board - A group of independent scientists selected by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to advise on the scientific and technical aspects of environmental problems and issues and who, at the request of the Administrator, review the scientific aspects of any reports or other written products prepared by the agency. Congress established the Board when it enacted the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-477).
Scientific Advisory Panel - Formally known as the FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel, this group of independent scientists was authorized by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. Its purpose is to provide scientific advice to the Environmental Protection Agency on pesticides and pesticide-related issues.
Scrapie - A fatal, degenerative neurological disease of sheep and goats. The similarity of scrapie to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) (mad cow) disease in cattle, with the possibility of subsequent transmission to humans, has caused the Food and Drug Administration to propose regulations to prohibit using sheep and goat by-products as a component in cattle feeds. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service also conducts a "voluntary scrapie flock certification program" to certify scrapie-free herds.
Section 3 lands - Public lands within a grazing district administered by the Bureau of Land Management under Section 3 of the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934. BLM authorizes livestock grazing on these lands by issuing permits to permittees. Section 3 lands make up the vast majority of BLM-administered lands.
Section 319 -
Refers to the 1987 amendment to the Clean Water Act which created
the new nonpoint source management program requiring states to
develop plans to identify and control nonpoint source pollution
problems and providing funding for this effort.
Section 4 general or basic assistance - This refers to the section of National School Lunch Act requiring the federal government to subsidize all lunches served through the school lunch program, regardless of the income of the participant. Sometimes referred to as paid or full-price lunches because children buying meals pay most of the cost, as opposed to those getting free lunches or those paying not more than 40 cents for a reduced price.
Section 11 special assistance - This refers to the section of National School Lunch Act that provides additional cash reimbursements (or so-called special assistance payments) for free lunches and reduced price lunches to children from lower income families.
Section 15 lands - These are public lands that lie outside a grazing district administered by the Bureau of Land Management under Section 15 of the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934. The BLM authorizes livestock grazing on these lands by issuing leases to private parties.
Section 22 - A provision of permanent agricultural law (Agricultural Adjustment Act Amendment of 1935) that allows the President to impose import fees or import quotas to prevent imports from non-WTO member countries from undermining the price support and supply control objectives of domestic farm programs. Legislation implementing NAFTA and the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture exempts NAFTA partners and WTO member countries from Section 22 quotas and fees. Under both trade agreements, the United States converted then-in-effect Section 22 restrictions into tariff-rate quotas. This effectively eliminates Section 22 as a tool to shield domestic price support operations.
Section 32 - Section 32 of Agricultural Adjustment Act Amendment of 1935 was enacted to widen market outlets for surplus agricultural commodities as one means of strengthening farm prices. Section 32 programs are financed by a permanent appropriation equal to 30% of the import duties collected on all items entering the United States under the customs laws, plus any unused balances up to $300 million. Most funds are annually transferred by appropriators to pay for child nutrition programs, although a portion of money is reserved to buy perishable commodities (mainly produce, meat, and poultry products) that are in surplus. Section 32 funds were used to finance the Cottonseed Oil Assistance Program and Sunflower Oil Assistance Program export subsidy programs, which were effectively terminated by the FAIR Act of 1996.
Section 201 - A section of the Trade Act of 1974 that permits the President to grant temporary import relief, by raising import duties or imposing nontariff barriers on goods entering the United States that injure or threaten to injure domestic industries producing like goods. This provision is the analog of GATT Article 19, which allows GATT contracting parties to provide relief from injurious competition when temporary protection will enable the domestic industry to make adjustments to meet the competition.
Section 208 - Refers to the provision of the Clean Water Act of 1972 which
authorized a program of state planning grants for the control of
nonpoint source pollution.
Section 301 - A section of the Trade Act of 1974 that authorizes the President to take all appropriate action, including retaliation, to obtain the removal of any act, policy, or practice of a foreign government which violates an international trade agreement or is unjustified, unreasonable, or discriminatory, and which burdens or restricts U.S. commerce.
Section 404 Permit - A provision of the Clean Water Act establishing a program regulating the discharge of dredge or fill material into the nation’s waters. Permits for individual dredge or fill activities are issued by the Army Corps of Engineers, subject to guidelines prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency. Primarily because this program can impact economic development by restricting the filling of wetlands, it has been controversial. It applies to agricultural, as well as non-agricultural lands. However, normal farming operations, silviculture, and ranching activities—such as plowing, cultivating, and minor drainage, and the construction and maintenance of farm and stock ponds, irrigation and drainage ditches, and farm and forest roads—are exempted by law from the permit requirements of this program. In addition, Section 404 authorizes "general permits" for certain activities, including several agricultural ones, so that individual landowners need not apply for a permit. For example, there are general permits for cranberry bogs and for rice culture.
Section 416 - A section of the Agricultural Act of 1949 that provides for the disposition of agricultural commodities held by the Commodity Credit Corporation to prevent waste. Disposal is usually carried out by donation of commodities to charitable groups and foreign governments.
Section 502 loans - A rural housing loan program, administered by the Rural Housing Service (RHS), authorized under Section 502 of the Housing Act of 1949. Borrowers may obtain loans for purchasing or repairing new or existing single-family housing. Loans are made directly by RHS or by private lenders with a USDA guarantee. Borrowers with income of 80% or less of the area median may be eligible for 33-year direct loans and may receive interest credit to bring the interest rate to as low as 1%. In a given fiscal year, at least 40% of the units financed under this section must be made available only to very low-income families or individuals (below 60% of the area median) with terms up to 38 years. Borrowers must have the means to repay the loans, but be unable to secure reasonable credit terms elsewhere. Borrowers with income of up to 115% of
the area median may be eligible for 30-year guaranteed loans from private lenders. Priority is given to first-time homebuyers, and the RHS may require that borrowers complete a homeownership counseling program.
Section 504 loans and grants - A USDA rural housing repair program authorized under Section 504 of the Housing Act of 1949. Under current regulations, rural homeowners with incomes of 50% or less of the area median may qualify for the Rural Housing Service direct loans to repair their homes. Loans are limited to $15,000 and have a 20-year term at a 1% interest rate. Owners of age 62 or more may qualify for grants of up to $5,000 to pay for needed repairs. To qualify for the grants, the elderly must lack the ability to repay the full cost of the repairs. Depending on the cost of the repairs and the income of the homeowner, the owner may be eligible for a grant for the full cost of the repairs or for some combination of a loan and a grant to covers repair costs. The combination loan and grant may total no more than $15,000.
Section 514 loans - A domestic farm labor housing program authorized under Section 514 of the Housing Act of 1949. The Rural Housing Service (RHS) makes loans to farm owners, associations of farm owners, or nonprofit organizations to provide "modest" living quarters, basic household furnishings, and related facilities. The loans are repayable in 33 years and bear an interest rate of 1%. Applicants, who own farms or who represent farm owners, must show that the farming operations have a demonstrated need for farm labor housing and the applicants must agree to own and operate the property on a nonprofit basis. Except for state and local public agencies or political subdivisions, the applicants must be unable to provide the housing from their own resources and unable to obtain the credit from other sources on terms and conditions that they could reasonably
be expected to fulfill and still provide farmworker housing at rental rates that would be affordable to the workers. The RHS may make exceptions to the "credit elsewhere" test when (1) there is a need in the area for housing for migrant farm workers and the applicant will provide such housing, and (2) there is no state or local body or no nonprofit organization that, within a reasonable period of time, is willing and able to provide the housing.
Section 515 loans - A USDA rural housing program authorized under Section 515 of the Housing Act of 1949. The Rural Housing Service is authorized to make loans to provide rental housing for low- and moderate-income families in rural areas. Section 515 loans also may be used for congregate housing for the elderly and handicapped. Loans under Section 515 are made to individuals, corporations, associations, trusts, partnerships, or public agencies. The loans are made at 1% interest for a term of 50 years. Except for public agencies, all borrowers must demonstrate that financial assistance from other sources will not enable the borrower to provide the housing at terms that are affordable to the target population.
Section 516 grants - A USDA farm labor housing program authorized under Section 516 of the Housing Act of 1949. Qualified nonprofit organizations, Indian tribes, or public bodies obtain grants for the development cost of farm labor housing. Grants may be used simultaneously with Section 514 loans if the housing, for which there is a "pressing need," will not be built without assistance from the Rural Housing Service. Grants may be made for up to 90% of the development cost of the housing. In a given fiscal year, up to 10% of the Section 516 funds shall be for domestic and migrant farm worker housing. Applicants must contribute at least 10% of the total development costs from their own resources or from other sources including Section 514 loans. Funds may be
used to buy, build, or improve housing and related facilities for farm workers, and to purchase and improve the land upon which the housing will be located, including installation of streets, water supply and waste disposal systems, parking areas, and driveways as well as for the purchase and installation of appliances such as ranges, refrigerators, and clothes washers and dryers. Related facilities may include the maintenance workshop, recreation center, small infirmary, laundry room, day care center, and office and living quarters for the resident manager.
Section 521 rental assistance - Rental assistance authorized under Section 521 of the Housing Act of 1949. Owners of housing financed under Section 515 or Section 514 may receive rental assistance payments from the Rural Housing Service (RHS). The assistance payments enable eligible tenants to make monthly rent payments that do not exceed the greater of (1) 30 percent of monthly adjusted family income, (2) 10 percent of monthly income, or (3) for welfare recipients, the portion of the family’s welfare payment that is designated for housing costs. The rental assistance payments, which are made directly to the borrowers, make up the difference between the tenants’ payments and the RHS-approved rent for the units. Borrowers must agree to operate the property on a limited profit or nonprofit basis. The term of the rental assistance agreement is 20 years for new construction projects and 5 years for existing projects. Agreements may be renewed for up to 5
years. An eligible borrower who does not participate in the program may be petitioned to participate by 20 percent or more of the tenants eligible for rental assistance.
Section 523 loans - A mutual self-help rural housing program authorized under Section 523 of the Housing Act of 1949 and administered by the Rural Housing Service. Nonprofit organizations may obtain 2-year loans to purchase and develop land that is to be subdivided into building sites for housing. The interest rate is 3% for these loans. Applicants must demonstrate a need for the proposed building sites in the locality. Sponsors may also obtain technical assistance (TA) grants to pay for all or part of the cost of developing, administering, and coordinating programs of technical and supervisory assistance to the families who are building their own homes. Each family is expected to contribute at least 700 hours of labor in building homes for each other. Applicants must demonstrate that (1) there is a need for self-help housing in the area, (2) the applicant has or can hire qualified people to carry out its responsibilities under the program, and (3) funds for the proposed TA project are not available from other sources. The program is generally limited to very low- and low-income families. Moderate income families may be eligible to participate provided they are unable to pay for a home built by the contract method. TA funds may not be used to hire construction workers or to buy real estate or building materials. Private or public nonprofit corporations, however, may be eligible for 2-year site loans under Section 523. The loans may be used to purchase and develop land in rural areas. The land is subdivided into building sites and sold on a nonprofit basis to low and moderate income families. Generally, a land loan must
result in at least 10 home sites. The sites need not be contiguous. Sites financed through Section 523 may only be sold to families who are building homes by the mutual self-help method. The homes are financed through the Section 502 program.
Section 524 loans - Land acquisition and development loans authorized under Section 524 of the Housing Act of 1949. Nonprofit organizations and Indian tribes may obtain loans from the Rural Housing Service to purchase and develop land that is to be subdivided into building sites for housing low- and moderate-income families. The loans are made for a 2-year period. Sites financed through Section 524 have no restrictions on the methods by which the homes are financed or constructed. The interest rate on Section 524 site loans is the Treasury cost of funds.
Section 533 grants - A USDA rural housing rehabilitation program authorized under Section 533 of the Housing Act of 1949. The Rural Housing Service is authorized to make grants to capable organizations for (1) rehabilitating single family housing in rural areas which is owned by low- and very low-income families, (2) rehabilitating rural rental properties, and (3) rehabilitating rural cooperative housing structured to provide affordable housing to low- and very low-income occupants. The homes must be located in rural areas and be in need of housing preservation assistance. Assisted families must meet the income restrictions (income of 80% or less of the median income for the area) and must have occupied the property for at least one year prior to
receiving assistance. Occupants of leased homes may be eligible for assistance if (1) the unexpired portion of the lease extends for 5 years or more, and (2) the lease permits the occupant to make modifications to the structure and precludes the owner from increasing the rent because of the modifications.
Sediments - Particulate material, including soil, sand, and minerals, transported and deposited by water or wind (see erosion). Waterborne sediments cloud the water diminishing sunlight available to aquatic plants; sediments deposited in reservoirs, rivers, and harbors destroy fish and wildlife habitat and may fill shipping channels. Farming, mining, and building and construction activities that expose soil to wind and rain are major sources of sediments.
Sedimentation - The depositing of eroded soil at some other location, generally in
the bed of a stream, river or lake. Sediment may carry with it
pesticides and nutrients attached to the soil. Sedimentation is the
single largest source of nonpoint pollution.
Seed bank - A facility used for the preservation and dissemination of seed, particularly varieties that are not in commercial use and that may be threatened with extinction. The USDA administers the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System.
Self-Help land development loans - Section 523 loans are for acquiring and developing land that will be used for mutual self-help housing.
Separation Distance - Any legal requirement certain activities must be
conducted at minimum distances from other listed activities or
sites. For example, state law may establish separation distances for
the construction of anaerobic lagoons serving animal feedlots away
from neighboring residences not owned by the operator of the
feedlot.
Septic system - An on-site system designed to treat and dispose of domestic sewage from a residence or business not connected to a sewer line. A typical septic system consists of a tank that receives waste and holds it while bacteria decompose solids, and a system of tile lines or a pit for disposal of the liquid effluent. The sludge that remains in the tank after decomposition of the solids must be pumped out periodically. By using the assimilative capacity of the land, a properly operating septic system has minimal impact, but an improperly functioning system can be a source of nitrogen pollution and of groundwater contamination.
Set-aside program - A program (not used since the late 1970s) under which farmers are required to set aside a certain percentage of their total planted acreage and devote this land to approved conservation uses (such as grasses, legumes, and small grain which is not allowed to mature) in order to be eligible for nonrecourse loans and deficiency payments. Set-aside acreage was based on the number of acres a farmer actually plants in the program year as opposed to being based on prior crop years. The authority for set-aside was eliminated by the FAIR Act of 1996.
Sharecropper - A tenant farmer who receives a share of the crops, livestock, or livestock products from the landowner, who in turn may extend credit to and supervises the tenant. The tenant generally supplies only labor.
Sheep Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1994 - P.L. 103-407 (October 22, 1994) enabled sheep producers and feeders and importers of sheep and sheep products to develop, finance, and carry out a nationally coordinated program for sheep and sheep product promotion, research, and information. This law was enacted a year after legislation was enacted to phase out the wool and mohair commodity programs. The USDA was authorized to issue a sheep and wool promotion, research, education, and information order subject to approval referenda among producers, feeders, and importers. In a 1996 referendum, the proposed check-off program was defeated. About 53% of nearly 12,000 ballots opposed the order. This group represented 67% of the production that voted.
Sheet erosion - The removal of a thin, relatively uniform layer of soil from the land surface caused by runoff.
Shelterbelt - A plant barrier of trees, shrubs, or other approved perennial vegetation designed to reduce wind erosion. Also called a windbreak.
Sherman Anti-Trust Act - The 1890 law is considered the foundation of federal anti-monopoly policy. Passed partly as an outgrowth of congressional investigations into alleged price collusion among large meat packers, the law generally prohibited restraint of trade and monopolistic practices in all industries, including agribusiness. The Capper-Volstead Act later exempted agricultural cooperatives from certain provisions of the Sherman Act and the subsequent Clayton Act.
Shippers export declaration (SED) - A form required by the government for the compilation of official export statistics and for export control purposes. It is necessary on practically every commercial shipment leaving the United States with the exception of mail shipments of small value. The export declaration form is 7525, and form 7513 is used for in-transit merchandise.
Shipping holiday - A fruit and vegetable marketing order provision that prohibits the commercial shipping of the regulated commodity during periods following certain holidays when demand is historically low—such as the several days after Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Short - (1) The selling side of an open futures contract; (2) a trader whose net position in the futures market shows an excess of open sales over open purchases. See long.
Short selling - Selling a futures contract with the idea of delivering on it or offsetting it at a later date.
Short Term Export Credit Guarantee Program (GSM-102) - One of CCC’s export credit guarantee programs. See GSM-102.
Short ton - Two thousand pounds. By contrast, a long ton equals 2,240 pounds. A metric ton equals 2,204.62 pounds.
Silage - Prepared by chopping green forage (grass, legumes, field corn, etc.)
into an airtight chamber, where it is compressed to exclude air and
undergoes an acid fermentation that retards spoilage. Contains about
65 percent moisture.
Silviculture - A branch of forestry dealing with the development and care of forests.
Sinkhole - A occurring geological condition in which an opening on the
soil surface leads directly down through the subsurface structure to
an underground water supply. Sinkholes are commonly associated with
a karst limestone subsurface structure and are a potential source of
direct contamination of groundwater aquifers.
Site loans - Section 523 loans and Section 524 loans are for acquiring and developing land for low- and moderate-income rural residents.
Skip-row planting - Planting in uniform spaces one or more row to a
commodity (especially cotton), the skipping one or more rows.
Slotting fees - Paid by manufacturers to purchase shelf space in retail stores; such fees are a controversial issue in the food sector. Critics regard slotting fees as unearned store discounts (or even "kickbacks" to stores) that give a competitive edge to larger manufacturers who can afford them, while depriving consumers of variety, new product innovations, and possibly more competitive retail pricing. Supporters of the fees contend that they enable stores to make room for the thousands of new product introductions annually; otherwise, grocers would have to shoulder the risk of stocking items that might not sell.
Small farm - Although there is no official, widely accepted definition of a small farm, the Small Farms Commission described it, for purposes of its 1997 study, as one with less than $250,000 in gross receipts annually on which day-to-day labor and management are provided by the farmer and/or the farm family that owns the production, or owns or leases the productive assets. In 1995, such farms accounted for 93% of the more than 2 million U.S. farms, but only 40% of U.S. farm production. The long-term decline in the number of small farms, and the subsequent concentration of production on fewer and larger operations, is a longstanding concern among some segments of the agricultural community, while others view these changes as inevitable, and even necessary to maintain the efficiency and competitiveness of the sector.
Small Farms, National Commission on - A 30-member panel appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture in 1997 to examine the status and needs of small farms in the United States. The Commission presented its findings, which included nearly 150 specific recommendations for action, to the Secretary in a January 1998 reported entitled "A Time to Act."
Small Hog Operation Payment (SHOP) - A $50 million program, announced January 12, 1999, that makes direct farm payments of up to $5 per hog on the first 500 hogs marketed during the last 6 months of 1998. Operations marketing 1,000 or more hogs during the 6 month period, and those with 1998 gross income greater than $2.5 million were not eligible. The actual payment rate was determined after signup by dividing $50 million by the total eligible. The program was implemented under Section 32 authority to make direct payments to farmers to reestablish their purchasing power. This was the first time in the previous 38 year history of the law that Section 32 funds were used for direct payments.
Smith-Lever Act of 1914 - P.L. 63-95 (May 8, 1914) authorized and provided initial funding for states to establish an educational outreach arm to "extend" the results of research programs at the land grant colleges of agriculture and their affiliated state agricultural experiment stations to all citizens who might benefit from them. In 1962 Congress amended the act to establish a formula for distributing federal funds to states for agricultural extension programs. The formula provides for each state to receive what it received in 1962 as a base. Funds appropriated in excess of the 1962 level are allocated as follows: 4% of funds go to the federal component of the Cooperative Extension System (now part of the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service); of the remainder, 20% is allocated to each state equally; and 80% is allocated on the basis of a state’s share of the U.S. rural and farm populations. On average, Smith-Lever formula funds account for about 30% of a state’s total funding for extension programs.
Sodbuster - A provision authorized by the Food Security Act of 1985 which is
designed to discourage the conversion of highly erodible land from
extensive conserving uses to intensive agricultural production. If
highly erodible grassland or woodland is used for crop production
without appropriate conservation measure, producers may lose
eligibility for participation in many USDA programs.
Soil - In the United States, about 70,000 kinds of soil are recognized in the nationwide system of classification. Each has a unique set of characteristics and a potential for use. These characteristics are important in designing a conservation plan to protect the soil from erosion if it is being cultivated. The Natural Resources Conservation Service is responsible for mapping the United States by soil type, through the Soil Survey Program.
Soil Bank Act - Title I of the Agricultural Act of 1956 (P.L. 84-540), designated the Soil Bank Act, created the Acreage Reserve Program to retire land producing basic commodities under an annual agreement from 1956 through 1959, and the Conservation Reserve Program, to retire agricultural land under contracts of 3, 5, or 10 years. The Soil Bank Act was repealed by Section 601 of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1965 (P.L. 89-321). Nevertheless, this early Conservation Reserve served as the model for the current Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which was enacted in the Food Security Act of 1985.
Soil Bank Program - A federal program of the late 1950s and early 1960s that paid farmers to retire land from production for 10 years; the predecessor to today’s Conservation Reserve Program. Some elements in the CRP, such as a limit on CRP acres per county, were a response to the Soil Bank experience.
Soil conditioner - An organic material like humus or compost that helps soil absorb water, build a bacterial community, and take up mineral nutrients.
Soil conservation district - A legal subdivision of state government, with a locally elected governing body, responsible for developing and carrying out a program of soil and water conservation within a geographic boundary, usually coinciding with county lines. The nearly 3,000 districts in the United States have varying names — soil conservation districts, soil and water conservation districts, natural resources districts, resource districts, resource conservation districts.
Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936 - P.L. 74-46 (February 26, 1936) was designed to support farm income by making soil-conservation and soil-building payments to participating farmers. This design overcame the unconstitutional taxes on processors in the support program authorized by the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933. The 1936 Act supported farm income and reduced surpluses by paying farmers for shifting from crops in excess supply (soil depleting crops) to soil building crops like legumes and grasses. This law, as amended, continues to serve as the enabling authority for a number of activities and programs carried out by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Soil Conservation Service (SCS) - Replaced by a new USDA agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service after USDA reorganization in 1994. Responsibilities include carrying out technical assistance programs in cooperation with soil conservation districts to improve and conserve soil and water resources, and operating related programs such as the national soil survey and the natural resources inventory.
Soil loss tolerance (T value) - For a specific soil, the maximum average annual soil loss expressed as tons per acre per year that will permit current production levels to be maintained economically and indefinitely. T values range from 2 to 5 tons per acre per year. According to the 1992 national resources inventory, about 63 million acres of highly erodible cropland are still eroding at more than their T value, including 21 million acres that are still eroding at three times T.
Soil moisture zone - Depth of soil from which plant roots extract water.
Soil quality (health) - Soil quality includes consideration of measures related to both productivity for crops and environmental factors.
Soil series - A group of soils having horizons (or layers) similar in characteristics and arrangement in the soil profile, except for the texture of the surface portion. They are given proper names from place names within the areas where they occur. Thus, Norfolk, Miami, and Houston are names of some well-known soil series.
Soil solarization - Fumigating and warming soil by covering it with black plastic. This is an alternative pest control technique being investigated as an alternative to the use of methyl bromide (a chemical fumigant used in Florida tomato production and for other speciality crops, which will be phased out of use because of its ozone depleting effects).
Soil sterilant - A chemical that temporarily or permanently prevents the growth of all plants and animals, depending on the chemical. Soil sterilants must be registered as pesticides.
Soil survey - A program of the Natural Resources Conservation Service to inventory soil resources as a basis for determining land capabilities and conservation treatments that are needed, provide soil information to the public (primarily through maps), and provide technical support to those who use soils information. About 90% of the private lands have been mapped. In FY1996, maps were prepared or updated on more than 17 million acres.
Sole source aquifer - the term, from the Safe Drinking Water Act, means an
aquifer which is the "sole or principal drinking water source
for the area and which, if contaminated, would create a significant
hazard to public health.:
Sole source bid - This refers to the required bidding process for infant formula sold through the WIC program. It offers an infant formula manufacturer the option of bidding to be the only provider of infant formula contained in WIC food packages in the state. Contracts must be awarded to the company that offers the lowest price (or largest discount) on its infant formula.
Solid waste - Non-liquid, non-soluble materials ranging from municipal garbage to industrial wastes that contain complex and sometimes hazardous substances. Solid wastes also include sewage sludge, agricultural refuse, demolition wastes, and mining residues. Technically, solid waste also refers to liquids and gases in containers. The disposal of solid waste is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
Sound science - A phrase generally used in a political context to rhetorically challenge the validity of the other side’s arguments. The phrase has arisen in agricultural trade disputes when a country imposes a sanitary or phytosanitary (SPS) measure that an exporting group claims is an unfair trade barrier because it is "not based on sound science." Often, policymakers or adjudicators are asked to make decisions based, at least in part, on which side’s scientific arguments appear to be the most convincing. However, the phrase sound science is not included in public laws or international treaties. Under the Uruguay Round’s SPS agreement, countries’ SPS
measures must be based on scientific principles, and may not be maintained without scientific evidence. However, the agreement does not define "scientific." Under general principles of international law, the interpretation of the term is left to good faith and ordinary "dictionary" definitions. By requiring only that measures be based on scientific principles, as broadly understood and accepted by the scientific community, the agreement, therefore, does not expect those who are adjudicating trade disputes to choose which science is the "sound science."
Soup kitchen - A center that provides and serves free hot meals to the hungry. Such centers may also be called community kitchens, hot meal programs, or aggregate meal programs.
Soup Kitchen-Food Bank Program - Originally authorized under the Hunger Prevention Act of 1988 to buy commodities for soup kitchens and food banks not participating in the Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP). Program authority was extended through FY2002 by an amendment to the Hunger Prevention Act of 1988, enacted under the FAIR Act of 1996. This program was consolidated with EFAP by an amendment to the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 that was enacted as part of the 1996 welfare reform law (the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, P.L. 104-193).
Southern Dairy Compact - An agreement among Southern U.S. states that would allow member states to jointly establish a minimum farm price for fluid milk that is above the federally mandated minimum price level in the region. The Southern compact (as of January 1999) is not yet operational. Several Southern state legislatures have approved state membership in the compact. Congressional authority to form a compact is required and is pending as of early 1999.
Spanish peanuts - The kernels are small to medium size with smooth skin, and the
kernel color ranges form a pale pinkish buff to a light brown during
storage. This type of peanuts are used predominantly in peanut
candy, although significant quantities also are used for salted
peanuts and peanut butter. Spanish peanuts have a higher oil content
than other types of peanuts. Those peanuts are grown primarily in
Oklahoma and Texas, and account for 4% of U.S. production.
Special and differential treatment - A set of GATT provisions (in Article 18) that exempts developing countries from the same strict trade rules and disciplines of more industrialized countries. In the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture, for example, developing countries are given longer time periods to phase in export subsidy and tariff reductions than the more industrialized countries.
Special Milk Program - Offers federal reimbursements for each half-pint of milk served to a child in a participating outlet, which generally is any school or facility caring for children that does not participate in other federally subsidized meal programs. There is an exception from this limitation for kindergarten children in split session programs. The program is permanently authorized under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. Schools may offer free milk to children meeting free lunch income requirements, if they choose, and this milk is reimbursed at full cost. Otherwise, children buy so-called paid milk, which is subsidized at a legislatively set rate for each half-pint served. This program is administered by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), and funded by annual agricultural appropriations.
Special review - Formerly known as Rebuttable Presumption Against Registration (RPAR), this is a regulatory process through which existing pesticides suspected of posing unreasonable risks to human health, non-target organisms, or the environment are referred for review by the Environmental Protection Agency. Such review requires an intensive risk/benefit analysis with opportunity for public comment. If risk is found to outweigh social and economic benefits, regulatory actions ranging from label revisions and use-restriction to cancellation or suspended registration can be initiated.
Special Safeguard provisions - Provisions within the UR Agreement on Agriculture
designed to protect products which were subject to tariffication
from surges in imports or large price declines.
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) - WIC provides federal grant funds to state health agencies and recognized Indian tribal organizations to operate programs for low-income pregnant and postpartum mothers, infants, and children (under age 5) who are at risk due to inadequate income and diet. The program offers monthly food packages consisting of specifically authorized supplemental foods containing nutrients often found lacking in the diets of WIC participants, and is operated at the local level by public health and other agencies with a link to health care providers. WIC foods include infant formula and cereals, milk, cheese, eggs, breakfast cereals, fruit and vegetable juices, dry beans and peas, and peanut
butter. Participants must meet both a low-income and nutritional risk test to be eligible. Foods are provided either directly by a local WIC clinic, or more commonly, in the form of WIC vouchers issued to participants that list specific types and amounts of foods that may be redeemed by the participant at authorized grocery stores. The program is authorized through FY2003 under Section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 and funded as a discretionary program by annual agriculture appropriations acts.
Special Treatment Clause - A clause in the UR Agreement on Agriculture that gives
countries the option of foregoing tariffication on some commodities
and instead requires minimum imports above the minimum access
commitments of 3-5 percent of consumption. This clause was added to
temporarily placate Japan and South Korea by providing protection
for their rice sectors. In the case of Japan, for instance, the
minimum import requirements for rice are at 4 percent of consumption
in 1995, rising to 8 percent in 2000.
Specialty crops - Usually refers to crops covered by marketing orders that generally are not fruits or vegetables. Specialty crops have included almonds, filberts, walnuts, spearmint oil, hops, dates, raisins, and prunes.
Species - Species represent the lowest and most important of the primary groupings used in classifying plants, animals, and microorganisms. While no single definition applies to all organisms, biologists rely principally on (1) morphological and genetic similarities and (2), for sexually reproducing organisms, the capability of interbreeding with one another but not other groups. If different species do interbreed, the offspring, if any, are often sterile. Biologists give species unique, binomial names: a generic name that includes closely related species, and a species-specific name. The horse, for example, is Equus caballus; the donkey or ass is Equus asinus. (Their offspring, the mule, is sterile.) As populations of organisms vary geographically and change over time (becoming extinct, or splitting or evolving into new species), species classifications are neither absolute nor immutable; where some biologists see variations within a species (and may designate subspecies), others may see separate species. About 1.5 to 2 million species have been named, but scientists estimate the total number of species could be 5 to 100 million, many of them probably undiscovered microorganisms. The Endangered Species Act (ESA) protects species designated as endangered or threatened with extinction; these protections prohibit taking endangered species and can include restrictions on habitat alterations, such as logging or water pollution. Because of the way "species" is defined in the ESA, policy debates have arisen over whether certain groups of organisms qualify for listing (e.g., northern goshawks and the Alexander Archipelago wolf).
Speculator - In commodity trading, an individual who does not hedge, but who trades in futures contracts with the objective of achieving profits through the successful anticipation of price movements.
Spot commodity - The actual commodity as distinguished from a futures contract. Sometimes used to refer to cash commodities available for immediate delivery.
Spot market - A public or open marketplace (such as open exchanges or auction houses) where products (including agricultural products such as livestock, grain, cotton, etc.) are bought and sold. The Minneapolis Grain Exchange and the now defunct National Cheese Exchange are examples. Spot also refers to a maturing delivery month of a futures contract.
Spot price - The price at which a physical commodity for immediate delivery is selling at a given time and place. See cash price.
Spread (or straddle) - The purchase of a futures contract of one delivery month against the sale of another futures delivery month of the same commodity; the purchase of one delivery month of one commodity against the sale of that same delivery month of a different commodity; or the purchase of one commodity in one market against the sale of the commodity in another market, to take advantage of a profit from a change in price relationships. The term spread is also used to refer to the difference between the price of a futures month and he price of another month of the same commodity. A spread can also apply to options contracts.
Standards of identity for fo d - Mandatory, federally-set requirements that determine what a food product must contain in order to be marketed under a certain name in interstate commerce. Mandatory standards (which differ from voluntary grades and standards applied to agricultural commodities) protect the consumer by ensuring that a label accurately reflects what’s inside — for example, that "mayonnaise" is not an imitation spread, or that "ice cream" is not a similar, but different, frozen dessert.
Staple - A commodity that is widely and regularly produced and consumed (i.e., wheat, rice, potatoes). A term used to designated the length of fiber in cotton and wool.
State Agricultural Experiment Station - The Hatch Act of 1887 established an agricultural experiment station to be affiliated with the land grant college of agriculture in each state. Research done at these stations underpins the curriculum of the colleges, as well as the programs of the Cooperative Extension System.
State and Private Forestry - A branch of the Forest Service providing technical and financial assistance to states and to private landowners for forest management and for forest health.
State inspection programs - Often refers to the state-run meat and poultry inspection programs to which USDA contributes 50% of the cost. State programs (about half the states use them) must be certified by USDA to be at least equal to federal inspection requirements. However, products from state-inspected plants (most of them are relatively smaller operations) cannot be sold outside of the state. Small plants and many state officials have endorsed bills in Congress that would permit state-inspected products to be sold into interstate and foreign commerce, but large meat and poultry companies (most of them already under federal inspection) generally oppose such a change.
State rural development block grant - Under provisions of the Rural Community Advancement Program (RCAP), each state may receive, for direct administration, up to 10% of the funds allocated to the state. These funds may be used to establish a state administered block grant. The first 5% of the state block grant allocated does not require the community to make a matching fund contribution. A state may receive the additional 5% if it provides $2 in matching funds for every $1 in RCAP funds it would receive.
State rural development councils - A collaborative partnership comprised of representatives of the federal, state, local, and tribal governments, the private sector, and the nonprofit sector. Councils are created by a memorandum of understanding between USDA and the state Governor. The councils’ purpose is to promote rural development within the state.
State technical committee - Advisory groups to state conservationists (coordinators of all Natural Resources Conservation Service activities within a state) created in the FACT Act of 1990 and amended in the FAIR Act of 1996. These groups can include representatives from agencies, agriculture, agribusiness, and non-profits, as well as individuals with a demonstrated expertise. Responsibilities assigned by the FAIR Act include establishing procedures for evaluating petitions on new conservation practices and identifying priority areas for the Environmental Quality Incentive Program and Wetland Reserve Program.
State trading enterprises (STEs) - STEs are enterprises authorized to engage in trade (exporting and/or importing) that are owned, sanctioned, or otherwise supported by government. STEs are legitimate trading entities and are subject to GATT rules. Examples include the Canadian Wheat Board, the Australian Wheat Board, and the New Zealand Dairy Board. Some U.S. agricultural producers think, however, that STEs through their exercise of monopoly power and government support may distort trade in their respective commodities.
STB - Surface Transportation Board, the federal body regulating railroads created by Congress when it eliminated the Interstate Commerce Commission. Agricultural interests closely follow STB deliberations proceedings on railroad mergers, service issues, and related matters because of their potential impact on grain and other commodity transportation costs.
Steagall Amendment of 1941 - P.L. 77-144 (July 1, 1941) required price support for many nonbasic commodities at 85% of parity or higher. In 1942, the minimum rate was increased to 90% of parity and was required to be continued for 2 years after the end of World War II. The "Steagall commodities" included hogs, eggs, chickens (with certain exceptions), turkeys, milk, butterfat, certain dry peas, certain dry edible beans, soybeans, flaxseed and peanuts for oil, American-Egyptian (ELS) cotton, potatoes, and sweet potatoes.
Step 2 payments - One of the three cotton competitiveness provisions intended to keep U.S. cotton competitive in domestic and export markets. Under the Step 2 provision, USDA is required to issue marketing certificates (or cash payments in lieu of certificates) to domestic users of upland cotton for documented purchases, and to exporters of upland cotton for documented sales, when certain U.S. cotton pricing benchmarks are exceeded. The payments provide a subsidy to U.S. cotton users and exporters so that U.S. rather than foreign cotton will be utilized, even when the former is higher-priced. Market developments triggered the availability of payments from late August 1991 through early December 1994, and again from mid July 1997 until mid December 1998, when funds ran out. The Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform (FAIR) Act of 1996 capped Step 2 payments during the FY1996-2002 period at $701 million.
Stewardship Incentives Program (SIP) - A program administered by the Forest Service through the Farm Service Agency that provides up to 75% cost sharing for practices implementing approved renewable resource plans. Payments are limited to $10,000 annually per landowner, and practices must be maintained for 10 years. Through FY1993, practices had been implemented on more than 670,000 acres by more than 7,000 landowners.
Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act - P.L. 100-77 (July 22, 1987). Enacted in response to concerns about increasing hunger, homelessness, and unemployment, this Act provided federal funding to support housing, food assistance, and job training.
Stocker cattle - Calves or older animals maintained, often on pasture or rangeland, to increase weight and maturity before being placed in a feedlot.
Stocking rate - The number of specific kinds and classes of livestock grazing or using a unit of land for a specified time. Not the same as carrying capacity.
Stocks, grain - Commercial grain stocks include domestic grain in storage in public and private elevators at important markets and grain afloat in vessels or barges in lake and seaboard ports. Commercial stocks plus government-owned stocks constitute total stocks. Information on grain stock levels is half of the supply demand equation that determines price levels.
Strategic grain reserve - National grain stocks held in reserve intentionally by government programs for the purpose of meeting future domestic and international needs. See Food Security Commodity Reserve, Food Security Wheat Reserve, Farmer-Owned Grain Reserve.
Strike price (exercise or contract price) - The price, specified in the option contract, at which the underlying futures contract or commodity will move from seller to buyer.
Strict liability - a legal concept which means an individual is responsible for the
consequences of his or her activities regardless of the other
reasons which may have contributed to causing the damages or any
other defenses the person may have. Strict liability is commonly
associated with activities which have an inherently dangerous
nature.
Stripcropping - Growing crops in a systematic arrangement of strips or bands, usually parallel to the land’s contour, that serve as barriers to wind and water erosion.
Strip tillage - Planting and tillage operations that are limited to a strip not to exceed one-third of the distance between rows; the area between is left untilled with a protective cover of crop residue on the surface for erosion control.
Structure of agriculture - The characteristics of the farm sector; most often used in describing changes in the number, size distribution, production traits, and business composition (i.e., type of ownership) of farms and agribusiness firms. Structural change is an agricultural policy issue because of concerns over its economic and social impacts on farmers, rural communities, consumers, and others.
Stubble mulching - Leaving the stubble or crop residue essentially in place on the land as a surface cover during a fallow period. Stubble-mulching can prevent erosion from wind or water and conserve soil moisture.
Stumpage price (or stumpage rate) - The agreed-upon price, usually in dollars per thousand board feet (mbf), between a private timber purchaser and the federal agency for the right to cut and remove trees and/or logs from the federal lands.
Subscription farming - Usually refers to a direct marketing arrangement between a local farmer and one or more nearby consumers, where the consumer pays, or agrees to pay, the farmer in advance for delivery of a variety of fresh farm products, as they are produced throughout the season. It provides a source of guaranteed, up-front income that the producer can use to finance planting and other operations.
Subsidy - A direct or indirect benefit granted by a government for the production or distribution (including export) of a good or to supplement other services. Generally, subsidies are thought to be production and trade distorting, resulting in an inefficient use of resources. Arguably, subsidies may be justified on grounds that they adjust for nonmarket considerations that are as important as market values. This term also is used to refer to federal reimbursements for meals served through child and elderly nutrition programs.
Subsistence farm - A low-income farm where the emphasis is on production for use of
the operator and the operator's family rather than for sale.
Sugar price support program - The federal program that maintains a minimum price for sugar. The new program covers the 1996-2002 crops of sugar beets and sugarcane. Under the FAIR Act of 1996, sugar processors benefit from a price guarantee only when nonrecourse loan policy is in effect (i.e., USDA projects that fiscal year imports of sugar will be equal to or greater than 1.5 million short tons). Should projected imports be below 1.5 million short tons, only recourse loans will be available to processors (i.e., no price guarantee exists). Loan rates are frozen through FY2003 at 18 cents/lb. for raw cane sugar, and 22.9 cents/lb. for refined beet sugar. Processors benefit, though, from a slightly higher level of price support accomplished by USDA
administering an import quota in such a way that market prices are kept above loan forfeiture levels. Should a processor forfeit on a nonrecourse loan if market prices fall below his forfeiture level, a forfeiture penalty is imposed (i.e., 1 cent/lb. for raw cane sugar, 1.072 cents/lb. for beet sugar). Should this occur, the price guarantee level would be lower than a processor received in the past. The FAIR Act of 1996 repealed both the program’s no cost requirement (in effect since FY1986) and standby authority (in effect during FY1992-1996) to impose marketing allotments under certain conditions.
Sugar re-export programs - Administered by USDA, program regulations allow cane refiners and food manufacturers, subject to certain conditions, to import sugar exempt from tariff-rate quota provisions that apply to sugar imported for consumption in the U.S. market. Cane refiners process the imported sugar into refined sugar for re-export, or for transfer to food manufacturers for use in sugar-containing products for export. These programs were designed in the early 1980s to utilize excess cane refining capacity and to make U.S. refined sugar and sugar-containing products more competitive on the world market by allowing participating companies to have access to lower world-priced sugar.
Suitable timberland - Timberland from which timber cutting is proposed in forest planning.
Summer fallow - Cropland in semi-arid regions that is purposely kept out of production during a cropping season mainly to conserve moisture for the next season. It is common for wheat producers in semi-arid regions to rotate half their cropland to summer fallow each year.
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) - The SFSP operates in low-income areas during the summer months to provide meals and snacks to children in summer day camps. Federal support consists of guaranteed cash and commodity assistance and support for administration and operating expenses. It is authorized through FY2003 under the National School Lunch Act, administered by the USDA, and funded by annual agriculture appropriations.
Sunflower Oil Assistance Program (SOAP) - Along with the Cottonseed Oil Assistance Program (COAP), SOAP was one of two programs under which bonuses were awarded to exporters of U.S. vegetable oil to assist in exports to targeted markets. The SOAP was authorized beginning in FY1988 with funds made available under Section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1935. The provision in the Disaster Assistance Act of 1988, which had authorized the SOAP, expired at the end of FY1995 and was not extended in the FAIR Act of 1996. However, the USDA appropriations act for FY1996 (P.L. 104-37) provided authority to operate the program in FY1996. Export subsidies for sunflower oil can be financed under the Export Enhancement Program (EEP).
Super 301 - Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended by section 1302 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, required the U.S. Trade Representative, within 30 days following the National Trade Estimates (foreign trade barriers) Report to Congress in 1989 and 1990, to identify U.S. trade liberalization priorities. This identification included priority trade barriers as well as priority countries and estimates of the amount by which U.S. exports would be increased if the barriers did not exist. USTR was required to initiated (regular) section 301 investigations on all priority practices within 21 days after submitting the report to the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees. USTR was required to negotiate agreements which provided for the elimination of, or compensation for, the priority trade barriers within 3 years after the initiation of the investigation. This authority expired in 1990. However, since 1994, Super 301 has been implemented by USTR under an executive order of the President. Legislation introduced in the 106th Congress (S. 19 and S. 101) would establish a super 301 for agriculture.
Superfund - The hazardous substance cleanup program created by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA, P.L. 99-499, December 11, 1980), as amended. The normal application of fertilizer is explicitly excluded from the definition of "release" under CERCLA. The name commonly applied to CERCLA and the funds generated under it for use in the program for cleaning up hazardous wastes improperly dumped in the past. The law gives the EPA authority to recover the costs of the cleanup from parties it determines were responsible for causing or contributing to the problem.
Supplement - For child nutrition programs, this refers to federally reimbursed snacks that are served to children in participating facilities. Also used to refer to the addition of nutrients in the diet by the use of vitamins.
Supplementary imports - Farm products shipped into this country that add to
the output of U.S. agriculture. Examples include cattle, meat,
fruit, vegetables, and tobacco.
Supply control programs - Any of several government programs to influence the supply of farm products on the market. Some, such as acreage allotments and marketing quotas, are considered mandatory, in that farmers who produce or market in excess of assigned levels can be legally penalized. Others, such as cropland set-asides, acreage reductions and diversions, and farmer-held grain reserves, are considered voluntary, in that farmers are usually encouraged to participate through financial incentives.
Support price - A legislated minimum price for a particular commodity, maintained by USDA through a variety of mechanisms, such as nonrecourse loans and purchase programs.
Surface runoff - Precipitation, snow melt, or irrigation water in excess of what can infiltrate the soil surface and be stored in small surface depressions; a major cause of erosion and transporter of nonpoint source pollutants.
Surface Water - Water which occurs on the surface of the earth such as in rivers,
streams, lakes and diffused on the surface of the land as runoff.
The term is distinguished from groundwater although the two are
often hydrologically interrelated.
Surplus - The amount by which available supplies are greater than the quantity that will bring producers an adequate income. A surplus may be due to production outrunning demand, a decline in consumption, or a general decline in consumer income or buying power. Historically, commodity programs have been designed to deal with "problems" of surplus, and the Secretary of Agriculture has had discretion to determine whether an item is in surplus and should be removed from market channels to shore up prices. Approaches have included cropland diversion to reduce production, long-term storage of excess supplies, and purchase and donation of surplus items for foreign or domestic food program use.
Suspension - A process under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act by which the Environmental Protection Agency can suspend the use of a pesticide in order to prevent an imminent hazard resulting from its continued use. An emergency suspension takes effect immediately; under an ordinary suspension a registrant can request a hearing before the suspension goes into effect. Such a hearing process might take several months.
Sustainable Agriculture - A systematic approach to agriculture that focuses on ensuring the long-term productivity of human and natural resources for meeting food and fiber needs. The FACT ACT of 1990 defines sustainable agriculture as "an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term (a) satisfy human food and fiber needs; (b) enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base
upon which the agricultural economy depends; (c) make the most efficient use of non-renewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls; (d) sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and (e) enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole." Examples of sustainable agricultural practices include use of crop rotation, animal and green manures, soil and water conserving tillage systems such as no-till planting methods, and integrated pest management. The Food Security Act of 1985
authorized a competitive grants program, now called the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program that supports farmer-scientist teams performing on-farm experiments in less chemical-intensive methods of pest control and soil fertility and other sustainable practices. The program also trains Cooperative Extension personnel to work with farmers to encourage adoption of sustainable practices.
Sustainable development - Development pursued in a manner that does not damage or deplete the human or physical environment and that ensures through good management that resources will be available for use indefinitely.
Sustained yield - An output of renewable resources that does not impair the productivity of the resource; it implies a balance between harvesting and incremental growth or replenishment.
Swampbuster - A provision of the Food Security Act of 1985 that discourages the conversion of wetlands to cropland use. Producers converting a wetland area to cropland lose eligibility for several federal farm program benefits. Benefits are lost from when water levels are lowered to facilitate agricultural production until they have been restored. Several types of wetlands and wetlands in specified situations are exempt. Exceptions include conversions that began before December 23, 1985, conversions of wetlands that had been created artificially, crop production on wetlands that became dry through drought, and conversions that USDA has determined have minimal effect on wetland values. Swampbuster provisions were amended in the FAIR Act of 1996 to provide greater flexibility for producers and landowners.
Sweet potato whitefly - an insect pest of cotton, fruit and vegetable, and greenhouse crops. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service works cooperatively with producers to implement pest management strategies based on integrated pest management and biological control techniques.
Swiss formula -
A tariff-cutting formula adopted in the Tokyo Round where high
levels of tariffs were reduced at a faster pace than lower ones.